Sulky.



No. 815,616. f I PATENTED MAR. 20, 1906.

' H. J. MILLER.

SULKY.

APPLIQATION FILED JULYS, 1905.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

v TIIH- W @ff am... #uw

H. J. MILLER.

SULKY.

APPLICATION FILED JULY3,195.

PATENTED MAR. 2o, 1906.

.13 SHEETS-SHEET 2.'

. ToV all whom t may con/cern,.-

UNTED STATES Pituitaryfry orErcE.

Be it known that I, HENRY J. MILLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at-Goshen, Orange county, and State of New York, -have invented certain new and useful Improvements in' Sulkies and Similar Vehicles,

of which the following is a-specification.

While my resent improvements are ap- `-plicable to ve 'cles generally, they are espe- 4 v tain a maximum degree of strength and rigid-g ity combined with lightness of form and cially'designed with reference to the class vof light-weight vehicles known as sulkies,

road-carts and the like, usually to be drawn by a single horse, and to accommodate only` one person-fthe driver.

The inventionis designed to simplify andf cheapen the structure of such vehicles,to at.-

weight, to aord' a resilient mount or suport for the drivers seat which .will efectually overcome the objections inherent:

and unavoidable where lthe seat is attached to a leaf-spring, as is customary at the present time, to render the seat lower and more accessible, to attain the minimum oi i'rictional v. resistance-, vibration,"and noise during the operation of the parts, and to attain lother practical advantages hereinafter stated.

The invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts .hereinafter described and claimed specifically.

In the accompanying drawlngs,

-l is a rear elevation of a sulky provided with my improvements, the lower portions of the wheels being broken away; F1g2 isa view of the vsuspender-springs and connections as modificationsv ofV springs.

relatedto the depressed truss-bar; FigiB, a like view showing the floatingv seat-bar depressed. Fig. `4 is a central vertical section upon planeof line 4 4,- Figi. 1. Fig. 5 is an elevation of the upper portion of-the wheeltruss. Figs.\6, 7, and 8-areviews showing Fig. 9 is a top view of a modificatlon of structure. Fig. 10 is a vcentral vertical section upon plane of line 10 10, Fig. 9. "Fig. 11 is arearview of the upper. portion of the truss, showing the s rings attached indirectly` thereto ythrough Y t ethills where the latter join the truss, Fig.

12'is a transverse section upon plane of line 12 12, Fig. 11. Fig. 13 isa view similar to Fig. 11, showing the springs attached directly to the truss.y Fig. 14 is a ltop view of the parts showninFig. 13.r v

Specification of` Letters Patent.

Patented March 20, 1906.

Application iilecl Ji'uly 3,1905. Serial No. 268,042.

In vehicles 4oi: this class the less the distance of the'. seat above the axial line of the wheels the less will be the lateral motion or sway ofthe seat or driver thereon, and hence the less interference with the motion of the vehicle and the movements of the horse,

' as is well known from practical observation and experience, and the `lessthe wind resistance encountered by the driver, since it is obvious that at the axial line between the wheels there would be little or no top heaviness or liability to lateral vibration, while the lower the position of the driver vthemore his body `will be shielded by that of the horse. Hence the peculiar construction of my wheeltruss T, which consists of the lower bridgebar` t, connected at either extremity directly withthe axles of the wheels WW, and the upperbridge-bar t', also'V connected with the axles of the wheels W W and straddling the latter, the horizontal portion t2 of the upper bridge-bar t being depressed into proximity to the horizontal member t3 of the lower bridge-bar t, as clearly shown in Fig. 5,- said parallel portions t? t3 of the truss being coupled together by spacing-stays t1 t4, which stiffen and unite the parts into one integral structure.

I am awar'e that in my concurrent application, Serial No. 256,234, iiled April 18, 1905,

I show, (see Fig. 14,) but do not claim, a Figure 1" somewhat simil ar structure, but that is incidental onlyand differs from the resent structure in that the lower bridgear is therein attached to the thills,whereas in this case the lower bridge-bar is attached directly to the axles of .the wheels. -The essential feature in this respect, however, and which I seek to claim herein is the depression of the horizontal portion ofthe u per bridge-bar below its upright or vertica portions and inci- F that when the'seat f is depressed out of its normal position by weight or jar the said floating seat-bar will descend into 4this central depression in the truss.

theloating seat-bar between the higher portions of the upperbridge-bar t of the' truss Vdentally, as shown in the present case, .below I AIOS) i In other words, by thusproviding i'or the play or. motion of am practically enabled to lower the normal position ofthe seat-to an extent equal to the depth ofthe depression of' the horizontal portion 2 of the said upper bridge-bar, thereby materially reducing the distance between the seat and the axial line of the wheels and insuring the advantages hereinbefore indicated.

The iioating seat-bar F is mounted upon suspender-springs S S, the outer extremities of which are secured to the thills a a. These suspender-springs S S are prelerably made of steel wire with one or more loops or convolutions s s', the planes of which are substanti ally in line with or parallel to the lengths of the spring. Figs. 6, 7, and 8 show modifications having single loops or coils, and obviously each spring may be formed with any suitable or desired number of such loops, and I do not limit myself in this respect, since practical results may be attained by various modifications of the spring in this'respect. I prefer, however, to form each spring S with two resilient loops s s', arranged on opposite sides of the main body of wire s2 and near either extremity thereof, as shown in the main figures of the drawings, in which arrangement the loopss and s/ may be said, in a sense, to work against each other, althoughV in unison, the smaller loop s, which Vmay be formed with two or more convolutions,'yield ing, primarily, to the weight upon the seat, while the larger loop s not only yields to such weight, but tends constantly to restore the intermediate portion s2 and smaller loop ys andthe floating seat-bar F to their normal positions.

The springs S may be secured' tothe-thills and to the seat by any expedient, as by forming eyes s4 at each end of the springA for en? gagement with retaining-screws S5 or equivalent means of attachment.

the springs, especially at the edges of the thills erage during the depression of the seat. This will be understood by reference to' Figs. 2 and 3, by a comparison of which it will also be seen that the depressed upper truss-bar affords ample scope for thever'tical play of the seat and floating seat-bar F.

On Sheet 1 of the drawingsI theseat f is shown as supported upon a single floating bar F ,whereas on Sheet 2 it is shown as supported upon two such floating bars, the suspendersprings of which are secured to the thills, as hereinbefore described, the main difference being that lin the latter form the rods l l for connecting the seat with the trace-bar L may be'dispensed with as unnecessary. 'In either case the thills are preferably provided with cross-braces B, coinciding in position with lthesuspender-springs S andfflo'atingbars F for the purpose of reinforcingthe thills against the lateral strain'. to which they" 'are subjected by the suspender-springs S.-

The'loops s s" are preferably arranged in proximity to the` ends of the springs, so as to relieve the fasten-` ings as much aspossible andl theshanlrs of.

Buffers b b may be placed upon the cross# braces B for contact with floating bars F should the latter be unduly depressed.

By my improvements I am enabled to build a lighter structure than has heretofore been possible and one in which frictional contact and wear is reduced to the minimum, in which rattling is obviated, and in which the seat-support is more resilient and safer also, since the loops in the suspending-springs practically protect said springs against breakage and against any strain which they could be subjected to underordinaryconditions of usc.

While I have herein shown and described the outer ends of the suspender-springs as attached directly to the thills, as in the `first ten figures of the drawings, it is obvious that such springs maybe in like manner supported upon other rigid portions of the vehicle, if desired. Where the suspendersprings are attached directly to the thills and the latter reinforced by a cross-brace B, said crossbrace is depressed centrally to the same level, or substantially the same level, as the depressed iportion t2 of the upper Abridge-bar of the in substantially the same plane as that of' the truss, which affords direct support for said springs and floating seat-bar, and thus renders a cross-brace B unnecessary.

What I claim'as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a vehicle ofthe character designated, a Heating seatand seat-barsupported by suspender-springs secured to and between the thills, forthe purpose described, each susand seat-bar, from undue lateral strain or lev-` pender-spring being formed with a loop adjacent to thefioating seat-bar, and with a looCp 'adjacent to the thill to which it is attache said suspender-springs being each formed ofV wire with a loop adjacent to the seat and with a loop adjacent to the thill to which it is attached for the purpose described.

3. In a vehicle of the character'designated, a floating seat supported upon suspender springs secured to and between the thills, each 'suspender-spring being formed of wire with a loop adjacent `to the seat and with a loop adjacent to the lthill to which it is attached, andaWheel-truss formed with an upper bridgeebar the central portion of which fis vdepressedv to`accom1nodate the floating seat, for 1the purposedescribed. j

` 4. -In a vehicle ofthe character designated, a floating seat supported upon suspender- IOO IIO

springs secured to4 and between the thills,

each suspender-springbeing formed of wire with a loop adjacent to theA seat andwith a loop adjacent to the thill to which it is attached, and a wheel-truss formed with an upper bridge-bar the central portion-of which i is de ressed below the peripheral lineofthe whee s to accommodate the floating seat, for the purpose described:

5. In'a vehicle of the character designated, a floating seat supported upon suspendersprings secured at their outer 'ends to rigid4 parts of the Vehicle-frame,each suspenderspring being formed of wire withla loop adjacent to the4 seat and a loop adjacent to the rigid part of the frame to which it is attached,

the loops being formed on opposite sides of the main portion of the spring, withv their planes substantially parallel thereto for the purpose described.

7 In a Vehicle ofthe character designated, a floating seat and seat-bar supported by sus'- pender-springs secured at their outer ends to rigid parts of the Vehicleeframe, each susender-spring consisting of a length of wire.

formed with two loo s,lsaidloops extending on opposite sides o' the main body of the spring-with their planes substantially parallel thereto` for the purpose described.

8. In a vehicle ofthe character designated, a floating seat and seat-b ar supported by suspender-springs secured `to and between the thills,` and a cross-brace secured to and ex .tending between the thills parallel with and in proximity to the suspender-springs and floating'seat-bar, for the purpose described.

9. In avehicle ofthe character designated,

` a lioating seat and seat-bar sup orted by suspender-springs secured to an between the thills, and a cross-,brace secured to and extending between the thillsparallel with and inf proximity to the suspender-springs and floating seat-bar, said cross-brace bein depressed centrally, vto accommodate the oating seat-bar for the purpose described.

10. .In a vehicle of the character desigFr nated, a floating seat and seat-bar supported by suspenderspringssecured to and-between the thills, a cross-brace secured to and extending between the thills parallel with and in proximity to the suspender-springs and floating seat-bar, said cross-brace being depressed centrally and a wheel-truss formed with an upper bridge-.bar the central lportion of which is also depressed, for the purpose of accommodating the, floating seat-bar and seat for the purpose described.- v l 11. In a vehicle of the character designated, a wheel-truss formed with an upper bridge-bar the central portion of which is depressed' below the peripheral line of the `wheels,'a fioating seat and seat-bar supported by suspender-springs secured to and between fthe thills, and' a cross-brace secured to and extending between the thills parallel with and i'n proximity to the suspender-springs and floating seat=bar, said'cross-brace being vdepressed centrally to substantially the same level as the central portion ofthe upper bridge-bar of the truss, for the purpose described. j

12. Ina Vehiclefof the character designated, a floating seat supported upon suspender-springs secured to and between the thills, each suspender-springy being formed of wire with a loop adjacent to the floating seat and with a loop adjacent to the thill to whichv it is attached, and-a cross-brace secured to and extending between the thillsv parallel with and in'proxirnity to the said suspendersprings and iioating seat, for the purpose described.

13. In a Vehicle of the character designated,a floating seat supported upon suspender-springs secured to and betweenthe thills each suspender-spring being formed of wire with a loopl adjacent to the floatin seat and with a loop adjacent to the thill to which it is attached, and a cross-brace secured -t'o and extending between the thills parallel with and in proximity to the said suspender-springs and iioating seat, said c'rossfbarl being depressed centrally, to accommodate the floating seat for the purpose described.

14. In a vehicle of the ,character designated, va floating seat-supported upon suspender-springs secured to and between the thills, each suspender-spring being formed of wire with a l'oop adjacent to the iioating seat and with a loop adjacent to the thill to which it is attached, a cross-brace secured IOO iro

to and extending between the thills parallel with and in proximity tothe said suspendersprings andiloatingseat, said cross-brace being depressed centrally and a wheel-truss formed with ,an upper bridge-bar the central portion of which is also depressed to accom modate the floating seatfor the purpose described.

15. In a Vehicle of the character desig-4 nated, a wheel-truss formed with an upper 'bridge-bar the central portion of which is depressedv below the peripheral line of the wheels, a floating seat suspended upon springs" secured to and between thills, each suspender-spring being formed of wire with a loop adjacent to the floating seat and with a loo adjacent to thev thill to which it is attac ed, and a cross-brace secured to and extending between the thillsy parallel with and Kin proximity to the suspender-springs and floating seat, said cross-brace being depressed centrally to substantially the same level as the central portion of the upper bridge-bar ofthe truss for the purpose described.

16. In a Vehicle of the character designated, a loating seat supported by suspendersprings secured at their outer ends to rigid parts of the Vehicle-frame, each suspenderspring consisting of a length of wire formed with two loops, said loops extending on opposite sides of the main body of the spring with their planes substantially parallel thereto for the purpose described.

17. In a Vehicle ol the character designated, a lloating'seat sup ortedupon suspender-springs secured at t ieir outer ends to rigid parts of the lvehiele-frame, each suspender-spring consisting of a wire formed with two loops interposed, at diilferent points in its length, between the said floating seat and the said rigid support on the vehiclefraine for the purpose described.

HENRY J. MILLER.

Witnesses:

D. W. GARDNER, GEO. WM. MIATT. 

